A lover of humor, hard work and, oddly enough, squirrels, has dedicated his life to helping others understand the importance of communication.

“I believe that a lot of human problems can be resolved by open human communication,” said Xin-An Lu, professor of human communication studies at Shippensburg University.

Lu said when he arrived at Shippensburg University to pursue his career as a professor, he was eager to teach American college students. He allowed his passion and courage to trump any uncertainties.
Lu has achieved a great deal more than being a professor in the human communication department.
He revealed that he was the only member of his entire family to attend college. He was also the only person from his Chinese village of 2,000 inhabitants to earn a doctorate degree.

While in China, Lu earned his undergraduate degree in English and literature.

Lu’s master’s degree is in diplomacy, but during his study of politics, he was turned off by its tricks and schemes.

He developed an interest in international communication. Unfortunately, there were no schools in China at the time that offered doctoral degrees in the communication field.

Around 1997, Lu researched other countries’ graduate programs and selected Southern Illinois University of Carbondale. The university provided him with a scholarship and covered his living expenses.

A man of many hats, Lu enjoys playing the piano and classical guitar outside of the classroom. He is also an accomplished writer, having published several textbooks and working on personal writing in his free time.

Share